Children born extremely premature demonstrate increasing levels of autistic social traits (ASTs) from ages 10 to 17—with no differences between sexes—according to a report in the Journal of the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Why It’s Relevant
As autism is now understood as a dimensional condition extending across a spectrum, understanding the trajectory of ASTs—e.g., communication difficulties, reduced social awareness, and repetitive mannerisms—in a broader population may reveal more nuanced insights into neurodevelopment.
Extremely premature youth (gestational weeks 23 to 27) have an elevated likelihood of receiving an autism diagnosis compared with full-term infants, but also present with a wide range of developmental and social competencies—making them a unique group in whom to evaluate ASTs.
By the Numbers
- The researchers evaluated AST scores for 527 extremely premature youth (52% female) at ages 10 and 17 using the parent-reported Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS).
- SRS scores increased an average of 19 raw points between the two assessments, pushing standardized SRS scores from the “normal” range at age 10 to “mild concern” at age 17.
- Nearly 70% of youth exhibited significant increases in ASTs between 10 and 17, while just 8% saw decreasing ASTs.
- At age 17, youth who experienced greater increases in ASTs reported worse self-esteem and overall health.
What Else Stood Out
Contrary to the higher prevalence of autism seen among males, extremely premature male and female youth demonstrated equivalent increases in ASTs over time.
What’s Next?
“Future research may wish to evaluate the role of gender identity and gender diversity on ASTs over time as ASTs are reported to be higher in those who identify as gender diverse,” the researchers wrote. They added that the study only used two time points, which limits use of longitudinal modeling. “Denser sampling could reveal nuanced insights into the timing of AST change,” the researchers wrote.
Related Information
Source
Tyler C. McFayden et al. Developmental trajectories of autistic social traits in youth born extremely preterm. JAACAP. Published December 1, 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2025.11.016
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